*** Official SPEED RACER Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Jim Ogilvie]

I could not disagree with this more. I was never a fan of Speed Racer. I must have seen 3 of them in my lifetime, and even then I am unsure if I ever saw one complete.

This film was thoroughly entertaining, front to back. It had elements of sweetness (Speed and Trix meeting for the first time in the park), Susan Sarandon looking fab... but more than this a really new and innovative way to cut a film story together.

This is a movie that must be seen on a big screen to soak it in as intended. Visually it speaks volumes about style, but I found the story was decent enough to keep it interesting. I don't think you could tell a very deep story with this medium, or have the film take itself too seriously. It seemed to walk that line nicely enough.

Its a real shame to me that this film won't do well in theatres. I think this is a very common fate for films that break new ground in story or style. The original Matrix film did much better on DVD than in the theatre, and developed a cult following. I do expect the same for Speed Racer. This for me was the first time I had a BALL watching a movie in a theater in a long time. Iron Man was good, but a different kind of good.

This film easily has a chance to become a reference blu-ray title, and I hope it gets the stellar treatment. I don't think my own setup will do it justice, I'll have to go to a friends place to watch it for that. But I will be first in line for a copy on blu.

 

[todd s]

For the sequel...Drop the cast. Keep the monkey!


Regarding Racer X...
I never watched the cartoon. But, quickly realized Racer X was Speed's brother early on. And still believed it after he denied it. Plus you have ReX Racer then Racer X

 

[Edwin-S]

Regarding the information in your hidden spoiler..... I don't think that there was any intention, by the makers, for anyone to think otherwise. I'm sure that they thought people would realize it very early in the film.

Also, discounting the smiley, why drop the cast in a sequel? The cast did a very good job playing these characters straight, considering how easily the subject matter could have been played for camp. I wonder how many retakes had to be done every time the cast members had to utter the words "detector inpspector" with straight faces.

Regarding a sequel. The possiblity of a sequel is remote if the audience numbers at the 10 PM showing I saw are any indicator .

 

[Felix Martinez]

My son and I absolutely loved it - we had a blast (he's 4 1/2). It's a real shame this is getting slammed critically, and the bad "buzz" might keep folks from checking it out. It really is a blast.

If you're curious, the first 7 minutes are here. I never thought that three-note motif would inspire such a warm fuzzy feeling

 

[Steven Wesley]

I never really followed the original series, but did some homework prior to seeing the theatrical version. I was more intrigued by the visual design heading into the showing, and seeing the bad RT numbers, didn't have high expectations.

I liked the film quite a bit. You could have chopped out about 45 minutes of it, however. But the visual design, nice family storyline, and some innovative storytelling concepts were the bit takeaways.

It's sad that it seems the film will go down in flames.

 

[Felix Martinez]

WB has another shot at this...the DVD should sell like hot wheels, er, hot cakes, and the Blu-ray should be the biggest selling title in the history of the format. Can't wait for the Blu-ray!

 

[todd s]

Edwin, I really didn't want the cast dropped. I just liked the chimp. That is why I put the smiley.

 

[todd s]

Felix, my 5yr old son also loved it. I also couldn't believe he sat through 2 plus hours without asking to leave.

 

[Edwin-S]

Maybe the film could have been trimmed a bit, but I would like to know how 45 minutes could have been slashed out of it? Considering its running time, I thought the W brothers kept up a good pace. When the film ended it certainly didn't feel like over two hours had passed.

 

[Tony J Case]

The reason that the critics are ravaging this film is that they've forgotten what the source material was. Speed Racer was never known for deep characters or clever plotting - just over the top action. I would rather they keep the tone of the original than to try and make Speed into something it wasn't.

 

[Nelson Au]

And Tony, I read an article on another webpage that Warner blew it with the marketing. They should have known this was a kids movie. And they didn't aim it at them, they aimed it at the Matix crowd but tried to get a family audience too. Not sure if the article is right, but it's another perspective. My audience was mostly kids!

As a family movie, I thought it worked. This is really a shame. But I get the sense the movie is very polarizing as well. You either like it or hate it. I grew up with the cartoon, and I appreciate the innovative film making techniques and visual design of the film. It looked great! If you don't get it, then you seem to hate it.

 

[Diallo B]

i totally agree. i didn't feel as long as it was to me.

 

[todd s]

While, I usually hate cutting a film. I thought the one part with Royalton and the Pancakes could have been cut out. That was a few minutes of nothing...Yes, I know it shows that he thinks he can buy anything. But, it could have taken a few minutes off the runtime. That being said...I am not in favor of cutting movies. Especially with how much it costs to see one.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Well, the media campaign was awful. It's really tanking. It's kind of heart-breaking :frowning:

It's getting high cinemascore ratings, and most folks I know (mostly online) who have seen it really liked it. But when I tell regular people (coworkers and non-movie buff friends) I loved it, they think I am kidding. I have to actually say "No, I am serious. It's great." and I still get skeptical looks. They don't believe me. It'll eventually find it's audience. I'm just glad I saw it in theaters.

 

[AaronMan]

I just watched that 7 minute clip...it looked terrible. I know, I know, I should see the whole movie before making a judgement, blah, blah, blah.

I loved the show, it was a love letter to racing. But this movie...everything looked like a toy. The cars had no weight to them. I liked how in the show, the cars were clearly designed to look like the cars from the Le Mans 24 Hour races of the 60s. The cars in the movie looked like those silly bargain bin Hot Wheels toys that nobody wants.

And people died in the show...there were quite a few fatal car crashes.

They could have called this Spy Kids 4, or Green Screen: The Movie, because that's what the visuals looked like to me.

Just my opinion.

 

[Nelson Au]

Well, the foreign reciepts have yet to be known(?) and DVD and BD sales could do okay to bring up the rear. Particularly the BD sales could be big as it's such a visual film.

 

[Malcolm R]

I've read that it's doing just as poorly worldwide as in the US. The worldwide gross needs to approach $500 million (about double the production/marketing cost) before it even comes close to breaking even.

 

[Corey3rd]

heads will roll at Warners at this disaster

 

[Chuck Mayer]

$500M? The budget was $120M. Do you have something showing it spent $130M on marketing? I can buy $75M.

Hasn't opened in Japan yet, has it? That will help a bit, if it hasn't.

And yes, the film is going to lose money. At least until it hits DVD/Blu Ray, where it will slowly make it's way into the black. I think the W Bros are fine. Silver loves them, and he'll take care of them. Thank goodness for that.

I am NOT a fan of anime, nor of Speed Racer the cartoon. I am a fan of good movies And Speed Racer is a good one. A very good one, in my opinion. It would be Exhibit A in how to adapt a property.

And Exhibit A in the "it's not what a movie is about, but how it is about it" school of thought.

And Giachinno's score is fantastic.

Except for Paul being lukewarm towards it, have any of the folks ridiculing it for the box office and demographics seen it? Just curious.

 

[Corey3rd]

Budget has been rumored at $200 million. Plus factor in the $50 P&A - The theatrical is looking like it won't even make the P&A budget. This movie is beyond dead. And DVD and BluRay won't save it for quite some time with this much red ink pouring off the ledger. Speed Racer is going to replace Heaven's Gate in "what were they thinking" film classes.

They spent two decades developing Speed Racer.

what's going to be interesting is how Speed Racer will impact the production and promotion of Land of the Lost. Bad enough how Will Ferrell's Semi-pro was full neglected, but now you have a cult kid's show that's also getting a fat budget (over $100 million) and major effects. Nobody in Hollywood seems to understand that these shows wore their cheapness proudly.